Clubs are ready for the return of cricket action

The COVID-19 pandemic threatened the sport this summer.

However, defiant clubs will see action this week.

Saturday:

Leicestershire & Rutland Cricket League Premier Division: Syston Town CC v Leicester Ivanhoe CC.

Leicestershire & Rutland Cricket League Division 1: Thorpe Arnold CC v Hinckley Amateur CC; Enderby CC v Barkby United CC.

Leicestershire and Rutland Cricket League Division 2: Market Harborough v Egerton Park; Melton Mowbray CC v Houghton & Thurnby CC.

Leicestershire and Rutland Cricket League Division 3 East: Lutterworth CC 2nd v Syston Town CC 2nd; Barkby United CC 2nd v Medbourne CC.

Leicestershire and Rutland Cricket League Division 4 East: Leicestershire Teachers & Mossdale CC v Queniborough CC.

Leicestershire and Rutland Cricket League Division 5 East: Bitteswell CC v Thorpe Arnold CC - 2nd.

Leicestershire and Rutland Cricket League Division 6 East: Egerton Park CC 2nd v Asian Sports CC 3rd; Queniborough CC 2nd v Illston Abey CC 2nd.

Leicestershire and Rutland Cricket League Division 8 East: Gumley CC v Melton Mowbray 2nd; SPA CC v Queniborough 3rd.

Leicestershire and Rutland Cricket League Division 9 East: Barkby United CC 3rd v Leicester Stars CC.

Sunday:

Grantham & Melton Cricket Association Premier: Hinckley Town CC Sunday v Queniborough CC Sunday 2nd.

Grantham & Melton Cricket Association Division One: Sproxton CC v Ashby Carington CC; Belvoir CC v Barkby United CC.

Grantham & Melton Cricket Association Division Two: Egerton Park v Croxton Kerrial; Melton Mowbray v Market Overton CC; Syston Town CC v Buckminster & Barrowby CC.

On Saturday Belvoir defeated South Nottinghamshire Cricket League Division A rivals Collingham by 88 runs.

Sam Nightingale 86 and Lewis Dann 52 helped their side post 295-7 before Collingham finished on 187-9.

Tom Neville 3-21 was the pick of the bowlers.

This Saturday they travel to face Ellerslie.

Belvoir Seconds beat Bramcote by five wickets in the South Nottinghamshire Cricket League Division F South and host Chilwell on Saturday.

A clean sweep saw Belvoir Thirds beat Wymeswold by seven wickets in the South Nottinghamshire Cricket League Division H South.

This weekend they host West Bridgfordians Fourths.

In the South Nottinghamshire Cricket League Division D, Hickling beat Southwell by 55 runs.

Michael Playle 71, Edward Sidebottom 51 and Ian Fisher 39 helped them to 216-6, with Harvey Fenwick 4-26 and Charles Hogg 3-8 restricting Southwell to 161-9.

The team travel to Bingham on Saturday.

This year will see Leicestershire County Cricket Club players at every level proudly wearing the same kit.

For the first time in the club’s history, the Academy teams, Leicestershire Young Cricketers and Leicestershire Women and Girls teams will wear the same apparel as the professional first team players.

The new kit has been revealed shortly after new CEO Sean Jarvis joined the club on June 24 and announced an ambitious new vision for the Foxes.

Sean said the intention behind an all-inclusive kit was to strengthen the Foxes’ brand and celebrate cricket talent at every level.

“This year’s kit for our cricketers will be one to remember as it’s the first time in our history that our players, across the club, will wear the same kit” he said.

“This, in itself, marks the start of a new chapter for the Foxes.”

Mehmooda Duke MBE DL, chairman of Leicestershire County Cricket Club said: “It’s fantastic that we now have all of our players wearing the same kit.

“It really shows a sense of unity, and inclusivity across the club and it truly is an important moment in the club’s history.

“At Leicestershire County Cricket Club, we are extremely proud to be at the heart of a richly diverse city and we are working hard to continue our work towards being even more inclusive and this is one way of making everyone who pulls the shirt on feel that they are a Fox.”

Leicestershire CCC head coach Paul Nixon said the move would increase the exposure and inclusivity of the club.

He said: “We’re all really happy with the new uniform identity which represents the diversity of our club – which is something we’re proud of. For the first time we share the latest fabrics and designs across the club.”

LCCC announced a new partnership with Surridge Sport in late 2019.

Danny Vilia, sales director at Surridge Sport said: “Surridge Sport was thrilled with the club’s vision to have all teams in matching kits for the first time in its history.

“This is something we are very proud to be a part of and reflected this with a range that suited all involved at the club.

“We’ve worked with LCCC to create a range that unifies the club as a whole which, we hope gives all players a sense of pride when pulling on the Foxes shirt.”

The kit that the four arms of the club will be wearing will be known as the First XI’s Vitality Blast kit which features a woven design as its main focus point as well as a modern twist on the club’s traditional black and gold colours for the T20 format.

The kit is available from www.surridgesport.com/leicestershire-ccc